<p>hazmat,</p>
<p>As you note, the Pell grant has fallen behind as something that can really help low income students. It is one of the reasons I was posting on another thread about the rate of tuition inflation. The other posters had thoughtful positions on why education may be a special market that may justify a higher inflation rate than the rest of the economy. However, I am not yet swayed by their arguments. I do not think the rate of tuition increases at most of the colleges can be fully justified. It is becoming harder and harder for the federal government to give a leg up to low income student when the tuition increases can be almost as much as the a Pell grant. Over a 4 year period the tuition increases are well above the amount provided by a Pell Grant which was $4000 in 2002-2003.</p>